Downtown

Caption: The Texas State Capitol is a predominant sight in Downtown Austin dating back to its completion in 1888. It still is a commanding building, though hundreds of residential high rise projects are vying for attention in the city center. Downtown is not just for government employees any more.

DOWNTOWN/CBD

Downtown Austin isn’t just for business and government anymore. In the past decade the city’s center has become an enticing option for urban dwellers with a range of choices from spacious ultra modern luxury high-rise condominiums to retrofits of older commercial buildings.

The Austonian, which for several years has been downtown Austin’s tallest building, remains a sought-after address. But now The Independent, the cantilevered, Jenga-style tower under construction has created a dramatic — and taller — silhouette within the Downtown Austin skyline. The urban living momentum appears unstoppable.

Other upscale condo towers under construction include Fifth & West and 70 Rainey. The Seaholm Condos, part of the adaptive re-use of the historic Seaholm Power Plant as a mixed-use destination, is another option. Older, but still appealing options, include the Four Seasons Residences and the W Residences. Also in the mix are Spring Condos, 360 Condos, Avenue Lofts, Brazos Lofts and The Sabine, to name a few.

Downtown dwellers enjoy a wide array of cultural amenities — the stunning State Capitol complex, the brand new $130 million Austin Central Library, Whole Foods Market flagship store, the Congress Avenue Bridge and its creepy cool bat colony. The hike and bike trail along scenic Lady Bird Lake never gets old.

For many the appeal of living downtown is simple — the ability to walk to work. And that workforce is exploding with companies such as Facebook, Google, Parsley Energy, WP Engine, Cirrus Logic and Indeed.com delivering hundreds of jobs. Urban living popularity has never been stronger in the 78701 area code.